San Jose loses distinction as safest large city

By: Jason Le Miere

Posted: 10/2/08

For a number of years, San Jose has enjoyed its reputation as America's safest large city, but no longer.

Last year, there were 33 recorded homicides, the most in ten years. As of the latest incident last week, there have already been 28 homicides this year, according to the SJPD Web site.

Homicide rates are not the only crime statistic on the rise in San Jose. Violent crime as a whole rose by close to 6 percent last year from 2006, also according to the SJPD Web site.

"I'm concerned because one homicide is too many. When they're going up in numbers we have to be concerned and take action," said San Jose Mayor Chuck Reed.

San Jose's rising homicide rates hit the headlines earlier this month, when there were three killings in the city in the span of seven hours.

The mayor pinpointed one of the major causes for San Jose's troubles.

"We know from looking at the data that gang homicides are driving the numbers up," he said.

In an effort to curb San Jose's increasing gang problems, the San Jose City Council passed an updated strategy last week for the Mayor's Gang Prevention Task Force. The plan includes provisions to target elementary school children as well as girls and young women for intervention, according to the minutes from the City Council meeting on Sept. 23.

An extra $1 million in funding was also allocated to the task force in this year's budget, with plans in place to make this a permanent increase as well as to add another $1 million in the future, according to Michelle McGurk, public information officer for Mayor Reed.

The latest budget also included funds for 25 extra police officers in the city, said McGurk. To some, though, this fell short of what was needed.

District Five Councilmember Nora Campos, who is absent on maternity leave, said she believes that more needs to be done.

"Is that enough? No," said Rolando Bonilla, communications director for Nora Campos. "It's a decent first step. Can we do more? Absolutely we can do more and we should be doing more."

Bonilla outlined what needs to be done to address San Jose's crime problems.

"The city of San Jose must make public safety its No. 1 priority," he said. "The budget needs to demonstrate our commitment to public safety. We need more police officers, we need more programs for youth, we need after school programs and we need intervention programs."

The mayor, however, said that everything possible is being done, within the constraints of the budget deficit.

"We need to hire another 100 police officers. I'd like to (do that) tomorrow, but I can't. We're going to try to do that over the next four years," Mayor Reed said.

Mayor Reed also stressed that these statistics have to be taken into context.

"We are so much better off than many other cities," he said.

Last year, San Jose had 3.5 homicides per 100,000 people, drastically less compared with Oakland, which had 30.3, and Fresno with 11, according to FBI statistics.

One SJSU student echoed this belief in saying that she still thinks San Jose is a safe city in which to live.

"If you hang out with the right crowds, I don't think you have anything to worry about," said Jane Redondo, a sophomore biology major.

The SJSU Police Department said students should still feel safe on campus.

"Crime rates for the city of San Jose, particularly homicides, don't really have an effect on what happens on the San Jose State campus," said UPD Sgt. Mike Santos.

Santos cautioned students and faculty to be careful walking by themselves at night.

"Generally is it still safe? Yes," he said. "But to be more safe, it doesn't hurt to have a friend or somebody to walk with."